Japan Pays Immigrant Workers to Leave

The country makes financial offers to thousands of immigrant workers from Latin America.

Wired PR News – Japan is offering thousands of immigrant workers a financial incentive to leave the country. As reported by The New York Times, the country is seeking to encourage many Latin American foreign workers to leave Japan due to strain put on its economy by the recession.

As noted in the report, the Japanese government is offering to pay for the trip back home for the workers so long as they do not return to look for work. Many have cited this effort as inhumane and a threat to Japan’s economic progress.

Hidenori Sakanaka with the independent Japan Immigration Policy Institute is quoted in the Times report as stating, “It’s a disgrace. It’s cold-hearted… And Japan is kicking itself in the foot. We might be in a recession now, but it’s clear it doesn’t have a future without workers from overseas.”

However, as further noted in the report, some who are currently dealing with hardships caused by unemployment are considering taking the offer.